Increase dog's phenobarb?

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question. It can definitely be frustrating dealing with a dog who has seizures.

There are dogs that do require higher doses of phenobarbital over time. However, the decision to increase the dose really needs to be made by your vet. They will make that decision based on the latest blood test. If he was not in the therapeutic range then they likely will want to increas the amount that he gets.

I understand wanting to give him extra phenobarb tonight. However, phenobarb takes a week or two to get to a level where it is effective. So, giving an extra dose tonight will not make a difference right away.

Again, it's important to only increase the dose if the vet has recommended it. If we go too high it can be harmful on the liver.

Here's another thought - Has Jr. had his thyroid level checked recently? If not, it's a good idea to do that. If his thyroid level is too low then this can potentially affect his seizures.

You may want to ask your vet about adding a second medication such as potassium bromide. I will sometimes do this if the phenobarb alone is not doing as good a job as I would like.

In regards to the timing of his blood draw, it really is ok to take the sample at any time, so this number should be accurate.

I know it can be worriesome if you think he is about to have another seizure. The good news is that seizures are not painful to dogs. They are probably harder on you than they are on him! I do get concerned if he is having seizures that are lasting more than 5 minutes, or if he is having them several times per day.

The best thing you can do for him tonight is to keep him as quiet as possible. Sometimes extra stress or excitement can cause a dog to have a seizure if they were close to having one.

I really hope things are sorted out soon!

Dr. Marie.


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